Edinburgh World Heritage has secured what it calls "significant" European funding for a new project.

The charity, which promotes the benefits of recognising Edinburgh's history, is being supported by the European regional development fund.

The three-year project will see Edinburgh working with Porto, Santiago de Compostella, Bordeaux, and Florence.

Edinburgh's role will be to ensure ideas generated by the project will have practical benefit.

As we go through the Brexit process, it's important that Edinburgh remains firmly at the centre of the family of great European historic citiesAdam Wilkinson, Edinburgh World Heritage

The Atlas project will include a World Heritage Cities Week, to be held next year.

Edinburgh World Heritage international manager, Krzysztof Jan Chuchra, said: "Europe's historic cities face a number of different threats ranging from inappropriate development, poor maintenance and care of historic buildings in private hands, and the negative consequences of some aspects of the tourist economy.

"The Atlas project will attempt to develop solutions to some of these problems, in partnership with local residents and the council."

'Family of cities'

The organisation's director, Adam Wilkinson, added: "As we go through the Brexit process, it's important that Edinburgh remains firmly at the centre of the family of great European historic cities.

"We can learn so much from each other, and face the challenges of the future together.

"I am pleased that Edinburgh World Heritage has secured this important EU grant."

Edinburgh's involvement in the project was welcomed by one of its partners, the Portuguese city of Porto.

The director of its department of culture, Sofia Alves, said: "Edinburgh has so much to offer the rest of Europe as one of our most important historic cities, but will also, I believe, benefit from seeing how other cities address our common problems."